Coronado Beaches

Coronado Municipal Beaches

Coronado City Beach is a wonderful beach to enjoy an entire day or weekend sprawled out under the sun as you gaze at the blue Pacific Ocean. Swim, body board, or just fall asleep while reading a good book. Other activities include beach volleyball, tide pool exploration, and kite flying. Coronado City Beach is located on the Pacific Ocean side of Coronado Island and lies adjacent to Ocean Blvd. Take Orange Avenue left after crossing the Coronado Bay Bridge and turn right on Isabella Avenue. Parking is free along Ocean Blvd. but arrive early for best selection. There are public restrooms with showers and the beach is staffed with lifeguards.

Watch for migrating whales January through March. Coronado City Beach is a perfect family beach with a wide expanse of sand and mostly calm surf that is safe for youngsters to splash around in. Couples like this beach for long romantic walks followed by drinks at the Hotel Del Coronado.

On the bayside, check out Glorietta Bay Park with its small sandy beach, children’s play area and grassy picnic grounds. Glorietta Bay Park is perfect for launching a kayak or starting a bike ride along the paved path that begins here and continues down the Silver Strand all the way to Imperial Beach.

There are two small beaches on either side of Centennial Park which also happens to be the Ferry Landing. Centennial Park is located at the corner of Orange Avenue and 1st Street and features breathtaking views of downtown San Diego. Bring a towel or chair, sit back and enjoy the view while watching the ships sail by.

Tidelands Park has a small sandy beach to go along with grassy fields perfect for soccer practice and a large children’s playground. Kayakers and paddle boarders frequently launch from this beach that sits below the Coronado Bay Bridge. Take first right exit off Bay Bridge to Glorietta Blvd.

All Coronado Municipal Beaches are located a short ferry ride or car trip across the San Diego Bay Bridge from downtown San Diego. After crossing the Bay Bridge, travel several blocks on Third Street to Orange Avenue. A right turn will take you to Centennial Park and Tidelands Park beaches. A left turn will take you to Coronado Municipal Beach and Glorietta Bay Park. For those making their way leisurely across the bay, the ferry departs from downtown San Diego at the Broadway Pier and the marina behind the Convention Center. Bicycles are allowed onboard.

Coronado Visitor Tips

To help plan your Coronado visit, stop by the Coronado Visitor Center located in the lobby of theCoronado Historical Association and Museum of History & Art 1100 at Orange Ave. Coronado, CA 92118.

For walking and biking, visitors will discover that Centennial Park (near the ferry landing at the north end of Orange Avenue) is an excellent starting point. A wide concrete pathway runs east-west, affording dramatic views of downtown San Diego. You can rent bicycles near the Coronado Ferry Landing. Bike riders looking for a more challenging route can follow the same path south and east. At Tidelands Park, follow the pathway under the bridge, continue to Glorietta Boulevard, turn left, and continue until you see Pomona Avenue. Turn left on Pomona and continue to Silver Strand Highway, where you’ll soon see an asphalt pathway on the bayside. This pathway runs all the way to Imperial Beach! Riders of all abilities will enjoy this path. Stop along the way at Silver Strand State Beach. Round trip is over 20 miles, so be prepared with water and snacks.

While visiting Coronado, be sure to take a stroll through the downtown village area to enjoy the upscale restaurants and shops at the corners of Orange and “C” Avenues… and if you’re not already staying at the Hotel Del Coronado, drop by at sunset for drinks on the ocean view terrace.

For some, the elegant Hotel Del Coronado— a cultural centerpiece of San Diego — is the primary reason for visiting Coronado. But this tiny upscale island city, separated from downtown San Diego by bridge, also boasts stately homes, upscale boutiques, trendy restaurants, and breathtaking views of Point Loma, the Pacific Ocean and downtown San Diego.

Coronado is also home to the U.S. Naval Amphibious Base and the North Island Naval Air Station. And don’t miss the July 4th festivities including fireworks and a hometown parade. And the town square frequently hosts art, music and food festivals.